Improvement in steam engines



I @auch tant @anni @ffice GEORGE REYNOLDS, OF MYS-TIC BRIDGE, CON N ECTIOUT.

' ALenser@ Patent No. 69,839, dma october 15, ist?.

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IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM ENGINES.

TO ALLWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be -it known that I, GEORGE H. REYNOLDS, of Mystic`l3ridge, in the county of New London, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact I,description thereof.

I will first proceedto describe what I consider the best means of carrying out my invention, and afterward designate what I believe to be new therein. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section lthrough the engine as arranged for driving a propeller.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same, with certain parts of the mechanism removed to show the parts beyond.

Figures 4 and 5 represent some of the parts of my engine detached from the rest.

' Figure 4 is a section on the line w w in iig. 5. v

Figure 5 is asection on the line s s in lig. 4, showing the relation of the equilibrium and throttle-valves to cach other and to the steam and exhaust-ports.

The figures represent the novel parts, with so much of the other parts as is necessary to indicate theirv relation thereto. Thelgures are in fact a tolerably complete drawing of the engine and of the adjacent parts of 'the vesselfbutonly the-parts-"moredirectly-connected with the-invcntionwillsbe particularly described.

`Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures. l

nA is the cylinder, B the piston-rod, C the connecting-rod, D the crank, and E the shaft. My engine is a condensing engine. vGf is the air-pump, and H is the bucketl therein. It is operated by means of a. small crank mounted on a continuation of the shaft E, as represented. I is the foot-valve, of thick vulcanized rubber. It is guarded above byjthe grating z', and is supported below by the seat J, which fits within the lower portion of the barrel Grof the air-pump, and extends downward, as indicated, by webs, and connects to the bonnet K. The lowering of this bonnet by removing the ordinary screw-bolts, not represented, allows the lowering of the footvalve I and an access to all these parts for adjustment or repairs. Mis the main slide-valve of the engine. Its back is grated over the two steam-ports, as indicated by m. The gratings are covered by gridiron valves, indicated by n, and these valves are operated by means of rods n, through the medi-um of a sliding bar, O, which is operated by means of the connection Q from alevcr, P, which turns on the rock-shaft p and is impelled bythe connection Q. This rod Q is jointed to the eccentric strap, which operates the main valve, there being two eccentrics and a link motion, as will be readily understood `in operating the mainvalve M. The connection Q extends out from the eccentric R at an angle with the main eccentric rod r, and as a consequence it follows that the rocking of the rock-shaft p is performed at a different time from the motion of the main valve M; it is performeda little later, and this fact allows me, by properly proportioning and adjusting the mechanism which operates the gridiron valve N, to cut'oii the admission of the steam at periods something later than a half stroke. If the connection Q were not at an angle with theeccentric rod r, I could cut oil` the steam from the commencement' up to half stroke. By setting it later I can vary over thesame range, but at a later period in the stroke, that is, I can cut ol at periods from one-eighth to ive-eighths, or from one-quarter up to three quarters, etc. v, It will be understood that the sliding rods n, which operate the gridiron valves N, do not traverse with the main slide, while the gridiron valves do so traverse. It follows that there is liberty for the one to move relatively to the other lengthwise of the cylinder. This is provided for by the two dogs n' ou each of the rods, which extend inward and press against the ends of each gridiron. This arrangement allows each gridiron to traverse without being affected by the rods, excepting thatwhen either of the rods n is moved it communicates a corresponding motion tothe corresponding gridiron, moving it laterally in one direction or the other. The mechanism for adjusting the point of cut-off I do not propose to claim in this patent, but I will lvery brieiiy describe it. The right and left-hand screw O2, operated by the handw heel '03, is held by collars cach side of the supporto, so that it is ccmpelledto traverse vertically to this support, which is carried ou the sliding bar the left-hand screw-thread raising' the block o1, to which is attached the wedge-piece o. The right-hand screw operatesin the' opprisiteV direction, moving the block 03, to which is connected the wedgepiece o. At each stroke of the piston the sliding rod O and its connections traverse up and down at a period a little later thanthe traversing of the main. slide. The wedge-pieces o2 and o4 are xed on the sliding bar O, and each in proper time opens the corresponding gridiron valve N. 'The wedge-pieces a2 and o4, which are adjustable, as described, each closes its valves by the returning motion of the sliding bar O at a period which Varios according as the right and left-hand screw Og is turned in ono direotion or the other. L is my condenser. I attach much importance to the fact that this important member and the air-pump before described are located at a high level, so that while the water is discharged from the condenser into the air-pump with the ordinary facility the water is discharged from the airfpump without accumulating so as to form a load upon the latter. When the air-pump is placed low in deep sea-going vessels there is a long column of water leading from the delivery valve, the weight of which forms a considerable resistance to the motion of the air-pump, but the inertia of which iS of much greater consequence, particularly when the engine traverses very rapidly. Propcller engines are required to operate rapidly, and under some circumstances in a heavy sea are liable to tem' porarily increase the rapidity of their stroke some tenfold. The very rapid action of the air-pump under such circumstances strikes the inner mass of water between the air-pump and the sido of the vessel, which stands in the delivery -pipe in the air-chamber, and causes most serious concussione. My arrangement reduces this quan tity of water to an insignificant amount. The delivery pipe drops downward from the delivery valve G", and the vent pipe leading upward therefrom allows the atmosphere to circulate in the delivery pipe, by the elastic action of which all concussione are softened. There is no load of water to be started and stopped at each movement of the air-pump, excepting that which is delivered by the air-pump itself at each stroke, and the very insignificant quantity allowed to stand around and upon the delivery valve G to keep it wet. U is a valve operated by a stem, u, and a hand-wheel, u', which closes a connection between the vapor pipe V and the exhaust passage X. So long as this valve is closed, as represented, the engine works as a low-pressure engine, but when, in consequence of any accident, it becomes necessary. to work the engine high-pressure, in other words, noncondonsingly, it is necessary simply to open this valve and shut off the supply of injection water. The engine thus far works high-pressure, the exhaust steam flowing through the pipe X and up the vapor pipe V. Any water which comes over with the steam or which is condensed in the cylinder or its connections flows down into the condenser until that is full, and then Hows out through the valves of the air-pump, or more disectly through the pipe X into the discharge pipe V. In stopping the engine it is desirable to leave the piston at or near a half stroke, and it is important to provide a means of equalizing the pressure by opening a connection directly or indirectly between the two ends ofthe cylinder. It has long been common, as in my engine, to providera valve for this purpose, so that by simply turning the stem the communication between one end and the other ci' the main cylinder will be opened or closed. My arrangement, however, differs from any before known in the fact that this mechanism is connected with the main throttle-valve, so that the opening of the throttlevalve to admit steam to operate the engine closes the communication between the two ends of the cylinder, and the closing of the throttle-valve opens this communication. In the engines heretofore constructed these necessary movements required two operations, and they were liable to be ill-timed. The mode which I prefer for connecting these parts is, to make the two valves in. one piece and mount them on a single shaft enclosed in the same casing, or they may be made separately and connected by links or otherwise, if desired. The casing which encloses my two valves is indicated by T, and the stem which operates both by t. They are both operated by the handle t1, and the whole is held in either position by means of the hand-nut t. My two valves may bc constructed in any approved manner, but I prefer the form known as the rolling valve for the throttle, and tho same form of valve with a hollow D throat for the equilibrium valve before referred to. The lap of these valves is so proportioned that in shutting o' steam the throttle-valve will be quite closed alittle before the equilibrium valve commences to open. In letting on steam to start again the equilibrium valve will be closed a little before the throttle commences to open. R is the backing eccentric, and r the backing eccentric rod.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of my invention may be separately enumerated as follows: First, by reason of the fact that my equilibrium valve t3 and throttle-valve t4 are connected together, so as always to be opened and shut at the proper times relatively to each other, I am able 'to reduce the labor of attending the engine, and to diminish the risk of regulating the proper adjustment of these parts. Second, by reason of the fact that I place the air-pump and condenser in the elevated position represented, I am able to operate them with all the etiioiency due to the ordinary arrangement, and at the same time to relieve the airpump from the weight and inertia of any considerable quantity of water beyond thc delivery valve. Third, by reason of the fact that my valve U is arranged, as represented, to open and close the communication between the exhaust-passage X and the vent pipe V, I am able to transform the engine at will from a condensing to a non-condensing engine with very little labor or diiiic'ulty. Fourth, by reason of the fact that my foot-valve I is mounted on the scat, which is connected to the bonnet J, and capable of being raised and lowered together, as specified, I am able to obtain ready access to all the parts with less expense and labor than in an ordinary engine. Fifth, by reason of the fact that my valves N are provided with corresponding duplicate openings, matching their seats as specified, and are operated by a movement which is later in each stroke than that of the main slide, I am able to cut off the admission of steam to the cylinder with a very slight sliding movement, without disturbing any of the main parts of the engine, and to vary the period of the cut-oil` between later periods in each stroke than would otherwise be practicable. Sixth, by reason of the fact that my link Q, which operates the rock-shaftp and gives motion to the sliding rod O, is connected to the forward eccentric R, at an angle with the eccentric rod r, as represented, I am able to obtain the required late movement of the valves without an additional eccentric.

Having new fully described my invention, and the best means of constructing and operating the same, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. I claim connecting the equilibrium valve t3 and throttle-valve t4, so that both shall be operated together, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. I claim the within-described arrangement of the condenser L, air-pump G, and-discharge pipes V' relas tively to the cylinder A.

3. I claim the relief valve'U, arranged. as represented, and adapted to transform the engine from a completecodensing to a. complets non-eo/ndensing engine, and the reverse, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

4. I claim arranging the foot-valve I on the seat, which is connected with the bonnet J an'd adapted to be raised and lowered therewith', substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

5. I claim operating the gridiron valves N on Athe hack of the main slide M, moving across by a. movement later 'than the movementof the niain slide, substantially as and for the purposes herein specied.

6r I claim the link Q, arranged lto act .obliquely to the eccentric rofle by the same eccentric so ns to operate the gridiron valves N, or their equivalents, by means of one of the main' eccentrics R, substantially ns and for the Apurpose herein specied In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` GEO. H. REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

D. L. FnEEBonN, FRANK A. Hmmm. 

